cetane

American  

[see-teyn] / ˈsi teɪn /

noun

1. a colorless, liquid hydrocarbon of the alkane series, C 16 H 34 , used as a solvent and in cetane number determinations.

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cetane British  

/ ˈsiːteɪn /

noun

1. Also called: hexadecane.  a colourless insoluble liquid alkane hydrocarbon used in the determination of the cetane number of diesel fuel. Formula: C 16 H 34

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cetane Scientific  

/ sē′tān′ /

1. A colorless liquid hydrocarbon derived from petroleum. It is used as a solvent and a component of diesel fuels. Chemical formula: C ₁₆ H _34.

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Etymology

Origin of cetane

First recorded in 1930–35; cet- ( def. ) + -ane

Example Sentences

Murex said last week that it would more than double capacity by the third quarter to allow its facility, operated with Cetane Energy, to load a unit train of 75,000 barrels of oil every day.

From Reuters

Unsaturated lipids usually yield fuels with a poor cetane number and low oxidative stability, whereas saturated fatty acids produce fuels at a higher cetane number and with greater stability but at the expense of their ability to be used at cold temperatures.

From Nature

By contrast, oxygen-containing fatty methyl ketone and fatty-acid alkyl esters have higher cetane numbers and flashpoints, endowing shorter ignition delay and safer transport, respectively, but they have lower energy content and higher cloud points, which limits their use at very cold temperatures.

From Nature

Cetane is the equivalent of octane in gasoline; the higher cetane, the more evenly and more powerfully the fuel combusts.

From Forbes

The average diesel has a cetane level of less than 50.

From Forbes